Whoever drafts Sean Monahan will be getting a very driven, mature and intelligent young man. I spoke with the projected top-ten pick and I came away very impressed.

The Flames draft 6th while the Oilers pick 7th and both teams need help down the middle. Monahan could be the perfect fit for either franchise, and I suspect if he isn't taken in the top-five picks he won't make it past both Alberta teams.

Monahan and I talked about his drive to be a great two-way player, dominate on faceoffs and how being on a great Ottawa 67's team in 2012, and a brutal one in 2013 has helped his development.

Jason Gregor: Your point totals the past two seasons didn’t vary despite playing on vastly different teams. You were on a first place team last year and tallied 78 points, while this year your team finished last yet you still managed 78 points. How were you able to remain consistent with your point totals despite your team success not being as good?

Sean Monahan: I think last year playing with Tyler Tofolli, Shane Prince and Dalton Smith, it was a good learning experience for me. I learned a lot especially on the offensive side from guys like Tofolli and Prince. This year was a little bit of a different season. I think I had to accept a different role, as a leader, so I tried to do that and being put in that role benefitted me and it allowed me to be the best that I could every game. It helped that the coach gave me a lot of opportunities. So that’s why I think that the numbers are similar. They could have been a little bit better, but I think that things happen for a reason.

JG: A lot of the scouts that I’ve talked to rave about your professionalism and being a mature young man. Listening to you speak, it sounds like you’re 25 but you’re only 18 years of age. Where does that maturity come from?

SM: I’m not sure. I think maybe just how I was raised; I always try to be the best person I can be. I like to learn and I think that I take things in a lot. I guess going through the learning experience I have through my sports careers, I think it’s kind of made me who I am today.

JG: You were named Captain in Ottawa this year. Talk about that experience and what you like most about being a captain?

SM: Being a leader, I think it’s a natural trait and it’s something that you have to take pride in. So I was very happy when I was named to share the duty with [Cody] Ceci before he was traded and then I took on the responsibility myself, but I think that it was good for me.

It was a challenging year for my team, and I was the guy in charge. I was there for two years before, so I knew what winning felt like. I obviously got to know what losing felt like this year, so I think that being a leader in that sort of situation it really helped my character and learned how to approach the team and how to approach games in different situations. I think that I tried to be the best leader that I could, both on and off of the ice.

JG: What did you learn about your personality playing on a losing team compared to being on a winning team?

SM: I just learned that even if you’re on a losing team, you can’t quit; there are always people watching you and you have to be the best player you can be all of the time. So if you’re losing by five goals in the third period you can’t call it quits, you’ve got to battle and I think that that’s when your character really comes out. You’ve got to push yourself. I think that that’s the biggest difference on a losing and on a winning team. You can’t toss the towel in ever on a losing team, or you’re going to embarrass yourself.

JG: How would you analyze your own game, what is your best quality on the ice right now?

SM: I think that my best quality is just how I can see the ice and set up plays, but I also take a lot of pride in my two-way game, and being responsible on both ends of the ice. I like setting up plays and I guess creating offense and slowing the game down and also faceoffs, I take a lot of pride in my faceoffs. I don’t like to lose many, so I think that it benefits me. And I think that benefits the amount of puck possession time for the team that I’m playing for.

JG: Have you talked to other guys like Ceci about what to expect in the combine and maybe how to ensure that you don’t put too much onus on it?

SM: I’ve talked to Ceci about it quite often, especially during the season, on what goes on during the draft year. But I also talked to Scott Lawton who was drafted to Philadelphia last year, he went through the same thing, and he’s one of my best friends. I’ve been working out basically since the season has been over. So I’ve been getting stronger and I guess put on some weight. I think that I’m doing a good job with that right now.

They’ve basically told me that at the combine you’ve got to be yourself and to talk to every team about how you’d play if you were playing for them. And the off ice testing, you just can’t give up. You’ve got to give everything you can because you’ve got to push yourself and they know that you want to be better than everyone else.

JG: How often have you done the VO2 test before?

SM: Yeah I’ve done that and I’ve done the wind gate before in the past few summers. So I’m pretty familiar with that. It’s a tough test, but I think that you’ve got to battle through it and I’m going to push myself to do a good job at it.

JG: Do you play any other sports?

SM: Growing up I used to play Lacrosse for over 13 years, but now it’s a bit more focused on hockey. In the summer I like to go out and play tennis with my buddies or the odd round of golf. I still toss around the old lacrosse ball because it was something that I was pretty passionate about, but nothing competitively other than of hockey.

JG: Did you find that lacrosse helped your eye hand coordination, and did it help you in any area of hockey?

SM: Yeah for sure. I think that it is good reaction timing and I think that you can handle the puck a lot better if you’re used to holding a lacrosse stick and catching a ball and throwing it around. I think that it benefits you. Even in lacrosse when you’re running around and you’re taking hits, you learn to roll off a check and I think that that also benefits you in hockey.

JG: Do you allow yourself to enjoy what you are going through right now? I know that during the season a lot of guys try to block it out, but now that the season is over and you’re working out, do you ever sit there and think that maybe Edmonton’s going to take me, maybe Calgary, maybe Tampa Bay, do you think about that?

SM: Yeah for sure, the season is over now, like you said, so it’s something to look forward to. I go in the gym every day and I want to push myself so I know that I’m probably going to have the opportunity to be drafted and I want to push myself to be ready to hopefully be able to make that jump to the next year.

JG: How have you become such a good two-way player?

SM: I’ve always played a similar type of game, since I was a young player. My dad always stressed it on me that you’ve got to be just as effective without the puck as you are with the puck. So I think just hard back checking and trying to be in a good position, that’s where it came from. It’s also just the fact that I hate to lose and I don’t want the guy that I’m supposed to be covering scoring or being responsible for a goal. I want to be the best that I can in all three zones and to do anything I can to help the team win.

JG: I know that you’ve played in camps with [Nathan] MacKinnon and [Jonathan] Drouin, give me your thoughts on those two guys and what’s their best attributes as players?

SM: I skated with Drouin throughout the summer last year and got to meet him, he’s a good player, he’s smart and he’s creative. You never know what he’s going to do, and I think that has really benefited him. He’s a really skilled player and he’s fun to watch.

MacKinnon I’ve seen him a few times now, and got to skate with him at camps and stuff, but you can obviously tell that he’s really fast and I think that he uses that to his advantage.

JG: As a two- way guy, do you have a different approach in how you attack/defend different skilled guys that you’ve been up against? Or does your two-way game not change, regardless of who you are playing against?

SM: Ever since my second year in the OHL I’ve been playing against the other team’s top line so I think that I try to play the same game in and game out and compete. Just try to be better than the line I’m playing against and outwork the centreman that I’m playing against.

I think that there are guys obviously in the OHL that are stronger players than others and those games are usually a good battle especially at the faceoff dot and throughout the game. Guys like Boone Jenner and Mike Schiefele they’re always a good battle to play against.

JG: Who did you get up to play the most?

SM: I think Scheifele. Last year we played Barrie in the playoffs and it went to game seven, and we played a lot of minutes in that series. I think that I was out there every time that he touched the ice and he was out there every time I touched the ice. I enjoyed playing against him and it was easy to get up for those games and be really excited to play.

JG: You say that you take pride in your faceoffs, what do you work on to improve those skills?

SM: Like you said earlier, I think playing lacrosse has helped. It helps my coordination when the puck drops, and you know what you’re going to do, where your stick is going to go, and it helps with timing as the puck is falling. In the offseason, I always try to get my wrists, my hands and my forearms stronger. I think that in the faceoff dot that sometimes it just comes down to your willingness to compete. You can’t give up when the puck’s dropped. You’ve got to hit sticks, you’ve got to battle and you’ve got to get to the pucks. I try to win every faceoff, and I never give up on a faceoff.

WRAP UP

I don't see how both the Flames and the Oilers could pass on Monahan. He won't be a flashy centre, but he's the type of player that will help you win games. Both the Flames and Oilers desperately need a centre like him, and at 6'2", 195 pounds already, he will likely be 205 or 210 pounds when he's a mature NHL player.

One of Canada's most versatile sports personalities. Jason hosts The Jason Gregor Show, weekdays from 2 to 6 p.m., on TSN 1260, and he writes a column every Monday in the Edmonton Journal. You can follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/JasonGregor

Say what you want about our record, you guys haven't exactly been lighting the world on fire during that time.

4 straight years out of the playoffs, haven't won a series post-lockout(s). So before you get all high and mighty maybe take a look in the mirror first. You're building a pretty good record of perpetual suck down there yourselves bud.

Your confusing commentors, I never said that Eberle and Dubnyk aren't good. In fact, I think Eberle is or will be your best player. I'm not big on Dubnyk but I didn't say he isn't good.

And, unlike what seems like most Oiler fans on here, I'm not in a delusional state, rocking in some dark, cold corner of a damp cement basement telling myself "we're good, right, we're good, right?" while shaking with cold sweats. I know we suck. I've known for a while. If we finish 30,30 & 29 I'm not going to try and convince myself that, just because we got 3 top, top prospects we somehow magically are the winners of the next 10 stanley cups; we just need that last draft pick to put us over the top.

The only guy that needs to look in the mirror, my friend, is you. I'm not trying to be all high and mighty, I'm just defending the team I love and cheer for, Just like you.

I would love too add this guy too the Oilers but too me it seems like the Oilers keep hinting too trading the pick too move back in the draft , why grab the best player available when you can grab a crappier player and prob a crap third rounder instead ? I'm sure that will make us a winning team ....

Jones, Mckinnon, Drouin, Barkov, are pretty unanimously projected to be top four. Which leaves Nichkunin (spelling), Nurse, Lindholm, and Monahan to pick between Carolina, Calgary, and Edmonton.

THough the Russian could be one of the best in the draft, I doubt Calgary or Carolina take him. I can maybe, maybe see Carolina taking Nurse, but even then I highly doubt Calgary takes the smaller Swede over the bigger Canadian.

So by seven I think the Oilers will be left with Lindholm, and one of either Nurse or the Russian. In that case, I say we take the Russian and hope he wants to come over in two years when he is the best player not playing in the NHL and gives us a Taresenko right when it's our year to challenge for the cup.

Or, as I've said many many times, trade our pick and Gagner to Philly for their pick and Couturier. Then draft Gautier.

Calgary is almost certainly picking one of Lindholm, Barkov, Monahan, or Nichushkin. Button was hyping Lindholm a year ago and I can't see Calgary passing on Barkov or Nichushkin if available.

So I think there is a reasonable chance that Monahan is available at 7. I don't think Edmonton will be picking at 7 though. Chances are they flip that pick for a roster player or NHL ready prospect. But I really couldn't care less what Edmonton does.

They mentioned Taylor Hall was a good two way player as well when playing with kids. 3 seasons later, his two way game is obviously struggling when it comes to playing the mens version of the game.

If Monahan is amongst the few table scraps left in that seven spot, how many yrs will it be before he's ready to join a developemental team like our Oilers?

Guess we shouldn't be so quick to jettison Belanger,Smyth,Horcoff,Petrell,Potter,Jones and Hemsky types on this team, especially with most of them having guaranteed contracts for next yr. Starting to look like another lipstick on a pig season in store again for hockey fans. Edmonton best keep the deadwood with no new blood coming in from this yrs entry draft.

Still enjoy these kids annual tire pumping fest we've learned to love the last half dozen yrs. Maybe Kevin Lowe could sponsor this near decade long annual event, no?

Calgary is almost certainly picking one of Lindholm, Barkov, Monahan, or Nichushkin. Button was hyping Lindholm a year ago and I can't see Calgary passing on Barkov or Nichushkin if available.

So I think there is a reasonable chance that Monahan is available at 7. I don't think Edmonton will be picking at 7 though. Chances are they flip that pick for a roster player or NHL ready prospect. But I really couldn't care less what Edmonton does.

Calgary and the word certainly should not be in the same sentence when Feaster is calling the shots. I could see them make a little bit of a surprise pick and draft a player a little further down the board like Domi or Shinkaruk. It is Feaster though, who knows, maybe he has his eye on a high school player out of South Africa that is #1 his board.

Oilers get a good propect at nbr.7 no matter what is left,not overly concerned about it . Would we give Calgary our pick for one of their players plus take 1-2 of their other first round picks ? Could be beneficial to both . What player might Flames throw our way is the question , to make a deal that would make sense to us ?

I would love too add this guy too the Oilers but too me it seems like the Oilers keep hinting too trading the pick too move back in the draft , why grab the best player available when you can grab a crappier player and prob a crap third rounder instead ? I'm sure that will make us a winning team ....

Wow... Do they teach you how too spell in Edmonton?

Normally not one to harp on spelling in a hockey blog, but I have no idea what your comment even says.

2 things. Those of you that come on here and think it is still funny to say that Feaster, with the 6th overall will likely pick some African high school kid or similar should stop. The joke is so old and all you do is make yourself look unoriginal and, quite frankly, dumb. Seriously, the guy went off the board once. His record drafting with CGY, although too early to see full results is pretty good.

2011

Baertschi- finished junior career with 2 points per game

Granlund- Best offensive player in WJC

Wotherspoon- Best, certainly most consistent and steady defenseman for Canada at WJC

Gaudreau- Finalist for Hobey Baker award as best NCAA player in 2nd yr and named to WJC all world team as top goal scorer in tournament.

Broissoit- Anyone that knows hockey, especially in EDM should know he is one of the best, if not the best, goalie in the WHL, maybe CHL

2012

Jankowski- Slow start but as the youngest player drafted in the draft had a good season and in a "redo" of the 2012 draft by THN he was ranked 25th- moved up about 15 spots

Sielof- USA WJC as a solid shut down Dman

Gillies- Best rookie goalie in the NCAA by far with several accolades

Kulak, Culkin, Gordan & Deblouw all with good draft +1 seasons

2nd thing, you guys really need to get over your infatuation with draft picks. After 3 1st overalls, the best and smartest thing your team can do is use the 7th overall as trade bait to better your current team. You can't keep moving 17 and 18 yr olds directly to the big team and expect results. Draft some good projects in the later rounds to keep your youth strong but get some real, proven NHL talent to surround your current kids with.

I'm glad you brought that up. I feel like people forget that Feaster drafted Sven. He was not an off the wall pick. He was drafted around where the scouts had him ranked. Feaster has only gone off the wall once.

2 things. Those of you that come on here and think it is still funny to say that Feaster, with the 6th overall will likely pick some African high school kid or similar should stop. The joke is so old and all you do is make yourself look unoriginal and, quite frankly, dumb. Seriously, the guy went off the board once. His record drafting with CGY, although too early to see full results is pretty good.

2011

Baertschi- finished junior career with 2 points per game

Granlund- Best offensive player in WJC

Wotherspoon- Best, certainly most consistent and steady defenseman for Canada at WJC

Gaudreau- Finalist for Hobey Baker award as best NCAA player in 2nd yr and named to WJC all world team as top goal scorer in tournament.

Broissoit- Anyone that knows hockey, especially in EDM should know he is one of the best, if not the best, goalie in the WHL, maybe CHL

2012

Jankowski- Slow start but as the youngest player drafted in the draft had a good season and in a "redo" of the 2012 draft by THN he was ranked 25th- moved up about 15 spots

Sielof- USA WJC as a solid shut down Dman

Gillies- Best rookie goalie in the NCAA by far with several accolades

Kulak, Culkin, Gordan & Deblouw all with good draft +1 seasons

2nd thing, you guys really need to get over your infatuation with draft picks. After 3 1st overalls, the best and smartest thing your team can do is use the 7th overall as trade bait to better your current team. You can't keep moving 17 and 18 yr olds directly to the big team and expect results. Draft some good projects in the later rounds to keep your youth strong but get some real, proven NHL talent to surround your current kids with.

Actually, anyone posting here will forever be allowed and will forever be encouraged to make fun of Feaster for drafting Jankowski so high.

We make fun of your GM, but we are down right brutal to ours.

We also make fun of Feaster for not getting value from his top end players, both when he did trade them and when he should have traded them. Moreover everyone posting here thinks it's especially amusing how he routinely refuses to call it a rebuild even though that's clearly what he'd doing right now. And that is but a small sampling of what people posting on this board make fun of Calgary, and their management for.

My personal favourite is to look back at their draft choices in the last decade and laugh at the players they picked, or the ones they picked and let go to other teams who are now stars. Craig Anderson anybody?

So please, since we don't come to flames nation and tell them to stop posting about Tambillini's inability to get a deal done, don't come here and tell us not to correctly make fun of your GM for taking someone he could have got in the last round.

I don't hate your idea of trading for a NHL player, but it depends who that guy is going to be. Right now we are debating if we had to select at seven, who is realistically available and of those choices who to choose.

Nowhere do I state nor imply that any of the Oilers upper management is a rousing success. I would be opposed to that statement.

I am just saying Feaster has proven himself to be the laughingstock of the league. Is your admiration for Feaster shared among all Flames fans? If so, they really need to open their eyes. Do you honestly believe his past year of work has been satisfactory?

Yah, because the recent iteration of Kevin Lowe has been such a rousing success, and MacTavish has GM experience oozing out of every pore of his body.

Is this going to turn into a BoA pissing match? Its sort of pathetic... like two ugly chicks fighting over who is hotter. Ya Feaster is a bumbling fool, but KLowe has been equally as inept and for a longer time frame. Neither side has much to brag about, if anything. We should both hope that nobody outside Alberta reads our cat fighting because it would be pure comedy to an outsider...

Personally I'm hoping Feaster can trade up into the top 3 making the discussion about Monahan irrelevant for us. I have less than zero faith Feaster can do it, but I hope he does. Calgary needs some elite talent, any Flames fan who doesn't envy the elite talent Edmonton has assembled is kidding themselves... We need some of that.

Maybe in 5 years we can have an intelligent and less embarrassing fight about the BoA as two legit contending teams. Until then lets keep our brown paper bags on if we want to throw punches.

And no, for the record I am not the biggest supporter of Feaster and co. I also have my doubts that even if he was out, things would really change. I've been of the thinking that the Flames problems are on upper management - ownership included. Until the organization realizes that, I'm afraid not much will change.

That being said, I remain an optimist. I don't see a situation where we can stay at 6 and monumentally fail, unless its on the player. Actually, the only way I see that pick being brutally bumbled is by trading the farm to move into the top 4. If its reasonable - do it, but I have serious doubts it will be.

This is what that comment was meant to convey. Really, no disrespect to Oiler's fans at all. I'm just of the mind that if you're going to call Feaster "the league laughing-stock", perhaps some introspection is warranted.

Actually, anyone posting here will forever be allowed and will forever be encouraged to make fun of Feaster for drafting Jankowski so high.

We make fun of your GM, but we are down right brutal to ours.

We also make fun of Feaster for not getting value from his top end players, both when he did trade them and when he should have traded them. Moreover everyone posting here thinks it's especially amusing how he routinely refuses to call it a rebuild even though that's clearly what he'd doing right now. And that is but a small sampling of what people posting on this board make fun of Calgary, and their management for.

My personal favourite is to look back at their draft choices in the last decade and laugh at the players they picked, or the ones they picked and let go to other teams who are now stars. Craig Anderson anybody?

So please, since we don't come to flames nation and tell them to stop posting about Tambillini's inability to get a deal done, don't come here and tell us not to correctly make fun of your GM for taking someone he could have got in the last round.

I don't hate your idea of trading for a NHL player, but it depends who that guy is going to be. Right now we are debating if we had to select at seven, who is realistically available and of those choices who to choose.

Hey mr brilliant, the blog was posted on both sites. So, I'm not on Oilersnation trolling.

Re: "anyone posting here will forever be allowed and will forever be encouraged to make fun of Feaster for drafting Jankowski so high", does that mean it continues if (and I reiterate "if") Janko does become a top centerman? That would make you look even more foolish.

And for the record I don't support everyting Feaster has done, not at all. But uneduacated, regurgitated bad jokes just make people look dumb. At least I had an actual debatable comment.

By the way, how is your teams draft and trade record outside of the 1st overalls? How has that Pronger trade worked out for ya'?

Hard to imagine an Oiler team without Gretzky or Messier , or the Flames without Kipper and Iginla . None of them were drafted by their clubs by the way . Buying or trading might be the smartest way to go to reach a higher level expediently . .

Hey mr brilliant, the blog was posted on both sites. So, I'm not on Oilersnation trolling.

Re: "anyone posting here will forever be allowed and will forever be encouraged to make fun of Feaster for drafting Jankowski so high", does that mean it continues if (and I reiterate "if") Janko does become a top centerman? That would make you look even more foolish.

And for the record I don't support everyting Feaster has done, not at all. But uneduacated, regurgitated bad jokes just make people look dumb. At least I had an actual debatable comment.

By the way, how is your teams draft and trade record outside of the 1st overalls? How has that Pronger trade worked out for ya'?

I agree with the feedback on the comment. But as I'm sure many Coilers will point out shortly, the Pronger trade got them Eberle. Hmmm, not so bad.

Hey mr brilliant, the blog was posted on both sites. So, I'm not on Oilersnation trolling.

Re: "anyone posting here will forever be allowed and will forever be encouraged to make fun of Feaster for drafting Jankowski so high", does that mean it continues if (and I reiterate "if") Janko does become a top centerman? That would make you look even more foolish.

And for the record I don't support everyting Feaster has done, not at all. But uneduacated, regurgitated bad jokes just make people look dumb. At least I had an actual debatable comment.

By the way, how is your teams draft and trade record outside of the 1st overalls? How has that Pronger trade worked out for ya'?

Point taken about this being posted on both sites, as for how our management is doing, right in my post I said Oiler fans are the most critical of their management out of anybody. We criticize our own management worse than any other fan, which is why we have the right to laugh at other teams' managers and their bone headed moves.

Reiterating a blunder does not make people look nearly as dumb as someone trying to defend a management team for a dumb move. These guys get paid millions and should know better then to draft a guy like that so high, and should definately know the rules concerning offer sheets and waivers.

If Janko becomes a top centerman, yes, of course everyone who ever said your manager was stupid will obviously have to eat their words. I still think he could have taken another asset at that pick and found Jankowski way way way down the board. The thing is no one, and I mean no one outside of the scout who 'drove through a snow storm to see some kid play in a highschool league and then told Feaster he'd be the future', thinks Jankowski will make it anywhere in the NHL.

As for our draft picks outside the first round, why is that even a focus, Jankowski was a first round selection so why don't we compare the picks that really matter, first round selections. Which many of of us have done at length here on ON. The one thing we can all agree on, is our first round selections in the last decade have been way better then Calgary (though again they have selected some great players but didn't stick with them which is even funnier).

That's three extra chances in the past 10 years to draft an NHLer out of the first round. That's an average of 8 spots higher in the draft order, and that's including 5 top 10 picks, 3 of which were first overall (which basically means a slam-dunk no matter how retarded your GM and scouting staff are).

The Flames, in contrast, have had exactly one top 10 pick in that time, with all but two of their picks being in the bottom 10 of the first round.

So yes, of course Edmonton's first round picks are going to look better in aggregate than Calgary's. That's what happens when your team sucks monumental amounts of dong.

Hey mr brilliant, the blog was posted on both sites. So, I'm not on Oilersnation trolling.

Re: "anyone posting here will forever be allowed and will forever be encouraged to make fun of Feaster for drafting Jankowski so high", does that mean it continues if (and I reiterate "if") Janko does become a top centerman? That would make you look even more foolish.

And for the record I don't support everyting Feaster has done, not at all. But uneduacated, regurgitated bad jokes just make people look dumb. At least I had an actual debatable comment.

By the way, how is your teams draft and trade record outside of the 1st overalls? How has that Pronger trade worked out for ya'?

And followed it up by making an offer sheet in which he would have given up numerous high draft picks for absolutely nothing in return. He's obviously the odds-on favorite to screw up a top ten pick.

What does that have to do with anything in context of this conversation?

I am not supporting all things Feaster. I am saying he will pick one of Monahan, Linholm, Barkov, or Nischuskin with the #6 pick and that him going off the board with a mid round first in a weak draft doesn't mean he is going to go off the board with that number 6.

Anyway. Gregor, good article. I hope you have more of these coming up as I'm sure both AB teams would appreciate insight into these prospects. Even though you're a homer, I like your radio show on 1260.

Of our later round selections, I think I might have to concede a little bit. I think I was getting into this with DSF the other day asking what would you rather get right, diamonds in the rough, or your first round pick? Personally, given the low chances of good NHL players after the first round, I'd rather make sure the first round pick was a solid one, then hope you luck out in the later rounds.

I really think that is a large part of it as well as I bet you ask any scout out there, and they are not thinking they are pulling a future NHL superstar out of anything after the second round. They like a guy, they know they want a guy, they hope that guy works out, and if they go on to become stars then that scout did their job well, but also lucked out huge.

As for the Oiler depth picks, or any teams' depth picks for that matter, it is super easy to find 5 - 30 names of bust picks because that's what depth picks all likely become. I think it's far more productive to look at the gems they found. And if you say Calgary has found more Gems in depth rounds than Edmonton lately, well I may have to defer to your wisdom. Though you missed some names that look like some pretty decent up and comers. Musil, and Hartikinen to name two. Moreover, it's not Edmonton's fault Calgary hasn't had any first round draft picks in the last few years, that is squarely management. And if the O'Reily situation would have gone a little differently, you'd be looking at another few years without first round picks, and not have had anything to show for it.

But whether or not finishing 9th - 11th every year was worth not having high draft picks is a whole other can of worms. Suffice to say we are laughing at your management, and if you were any kind of a Flames fan, you would be too.

2 things. Those of you that come on here and think it is still funny to say that Feaster, with the 6th overall will likely pick some African high school kid or similar should stop. The joke is so old and all you do is make yourself look unoriginal and, quite frankly, dumb. Seriously, the guy went off the board once. His record drafting with CGY, although too early to see full results is pretty good.

2011

Baertschi- finished junior career with 2 points per game

Granlund- Best offensive player in WJC

Wotherspoon- Best, certainly most consistent and steady defenseman for Canada at WJC

Gaudreau- Finalist for Hobey Baker award as best NCAA player in 2nd yr and named to WJC all world team as top goal scorer in tournament.

Broissoit- Anyone that knows hockey, especially in EDM should know he is one of the best, if not the best, goalie in the WHL, maybe CHL

2012

Jankowski- Slow start but as the youngest player drafted in the draft had a good season and in a "redo" of the 2012 draft by THN he was ranked 25th- moved up about 15 spots

Sielof- USA WJC as a solid shut down Dman

Gillies- Best rookie goalie in the NCAA by far with several accolades

Kulak, Culkin, Gordan & Deblouw all with good draft +1 seasons

2nd thing, you guys really need to get over your infatuation with draft picks. After 3 1st overalls, the best and smartest thing your team can do is use the 7th overall as trade bait to better your current team. You can't keep moving 17 and 18 yr olds directly to the big team and expect results. Draft some good projects in the later rounds to keep your youth strong but get some real, proven NHL talent to surround your current kids with.

this is comical. Wotherspoon was the worst of team canada's defence behind Murphy.

Gaudreau and Baertschi are great players, but don't see Gaudreau making it because of his tiny 5'6 frame.

If you went to see any live games or even watched any games on TV, you'd know Brossoit is terrible. His SV% is impressive because of the defence he plays behind, Musil, Gernat, Lowe, Reinhart. Look at Tristan Jarry's SV%. Inflated just like Brossoit's. Gillies is a real prospect, but Brossoit is going nowhere and is by far not the best goalie in the CHL. See: Subban, Binnington, Driedger, Gibson, Sparks, Stolarz.

Let's be fair here though and recognize that during that time the Flames were finishing higher than the Oilers almost every year, so you can't crow about success in the standings and then complain about inferior draft position. Its one or the other.

Overall, between 1996 and 2006 Calgary had a slightly below league-average drafting success (in the range of 16%, I believe), while Edmonton was a half percentage point lower. Not much difference between the two clubs, both have made a lot of mistakes at the podium.